JAMAICA, Queens (PIX11) -- Demonstrators rallied outside the Social Security Administration building in Jamaica, Queens, Wednesday -- speaking out against the planned cuts of 7,000 Social Security workers and the potential closure of 47 field offices across the country.
The cuts, driven by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, have sparked concern in the community with many worried it could leave seniors and families without the support they need.
"The folks that don't have the pension, they don't have the 401(k)s, they survive off of their Social Security, which is key," said District Leader Jamal Wilkerson. "So, at the end of the day you take away the Social Security, what are they living off of?"
Musk has dismissed Social Security in the past as a failing system.
"Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time," Musk said.
But for Shirley Phipps, whose livelihood depends on her monthly Social Security checks, she fears the cuts could threaten the timely delivery of benefits she needs to survive.
"It would be very disappointing," she said. "When you're used to getting something, you want it to come the way it's supposed to come because I earned that. I had to pay a price for that."
This all comes as the Social Security Administration recently announced major changes – stating that new and existing recipients must verify their identity in person rather than online. It’s a change that community members argue could pose challenges for vulnerable New Yorkers.
"My mom -- she's not able to get out of bed," said Wilkerson. "She's bedridden. At the end of the day, she's an 86-year-old woman who cannot get out of bed to come down here to show ID in case something goes wrong with her Social Security benefits. That's crazy to me."
The changes — intended to combat fraud — faced intense backlash, prompting the administration to partially reverse course. Now, recipients applying for Social Security, Disability Insurance, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income who cannot access the agency’s online portal will be allowed to complete their claims over the phone. However, other applicants will still be required to verify their identity at a field office. Those changes, along with office closures, are set to begin as soon as April.
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